Stand by Me

Chapter 22

Jimin stirred a little, groaning lightly in his sleep. The more he surfaced from his sleep, the harder his head pounded. He forced his heavy eyelids open, squinting as he took in the startling white of everything around him. His mind slowly started to register the machines circling around him, the IV in his arm, the cords connected to him, the breathing mask situated over his face. He forced himself to sit up inch by painful inch. His gaze dropped to his body and he paled as the panic set in. He was frail looking and pale at best. The dress he'd worn to Yoongi's trial had been replaced by a white and yellow polka dotted hospital gown. His skin looked far more sickly than what he remembered, and he could see his veins now.

Namjoon trudged into Jimin's hospital room, two cups of coffee in his hands and snacks tucked under his arm. 

"Jin? Baby, you awake? I brought coffee and-" Namjoon's words died in his throat as his gaze landed on an awake Jimin. He hastily put the coffees down and tossed the snacks on the tray table before running out of the room.

"I need a nurse! He's awake! Nurse!" 

Jin jolted awake from the sudden shouting in the hallway. His eyes snapped open as he sat up frantically, nearly tumbling out of the uncomfortable hospital chair in the process. He searched the room wildly, his frenzied and sleep filled gaze falling on Jimin sitting upright in bed. Their gazes locked and Jin's filled with tears as he scrambled out of his seat, throwing his arms around Jimin.

"Oh God J-Jiminie, you're awake! I was so worried! How do you feel? You just p-passed out! T-Then you s-started b-b-bleeding!" Jin's words came out in a frantic, jumbled mess that Jimin could barely comprehend in his dazed state. 

Jin pulled back from his hug when Jimin didn't speak or hug him back. He grabbed his hands, cradling them delicately as he sniffed back tears. Jimin offered up a tiny, exhausted smile and weakly squeezed his hands.

"I-I'm so sorry... a-about Yoongi..." Jin whispered, his words broken up by soft sobs. 

Jimin's gaze dropped and filled with unshed tears. The pain flashed across his face, mingling with the lingering depression that never seemed to leave his eyes. He squeezed Jin's hands again, not having the strength to speak quite yet. Although he didn't need to, his grief was more than evident. Jin had no trouble reading his best friend's exhausted and grief stricken expressions.

Namjoon rushed back in with a nurse at his side. She was the nurse assigned specifically to Jimin. She was a young African American girl and had her caramel brown and maroon colored braids pulled back into a bun atop her head. She was shorter, around 5'4 and light set. She had a warm, friendly smile and her dark brown eyes sparkled with kindness. She was the only calm one in the room.

The nurse walked around Jimin's bed and to his side, setting her clipboard aside as she leaned over him. "Hello Jimin-ssi, do you remember me? I'm your nurse. You were in and out when they brought you in, so it's okay if you don't remember me. I'm nurse Jung Amina. You can call me Amina or Nurse Jung, whichever you prefer! Is it okay if I check your vitals and senses?" 

Jimin gave a little nod as he watched the nurse. Her calm and quiet presence was welcoming and comforting. It soothed his racing heart and he quickly found himself liking the nurse's presence and personality. 

Amina smiled sweetly at him as she talked him through everything she checked. She started with his eyes, then his breathing, then she listened to his heart, then his throat, then she set her hands over his lower abdomen and applied gentle pressure as she felt his lower abdomen. 

"Any pain, Jimin-ssi?" She questioned softly.

Jimin shook his head as she moved her hands, applying pressure to a few different places. When she applied pressure to a spot towards the center of his lower abdomen, however, he flinched and let out a small whimper.